Morehead City, North Carolina

Carteret Community College Medical Assistant Programs

DiplomaCertificatePublicCAAHEP-accredited

What Medical Assistant Programs Does Carteret Community College Offer?

Carteret Community College in Morehead City, North Carolina offers 2 medical assisting programs (diploma and certificate), taught on campus. All are CAAHEP-accredited, so graduates are eligible for the CMA (AAMA) exam. The lowest-cost option, Certificate - Medical Assisting, comes to about $1,064 (estimated). Programs run 48 weeks and 32 weeks.

2 Medical Assistant Programs at Carteret Community College

Carteret Community College's Programs Side by Side

ProgramCredentialFormatLengthExternshipCost
Diploma - Medical Assisting, Carteret Community CollegeDiplomaOn campus48 weeksIncluded$3,648estimated: $76/credit × 48
Certificate - Medical Assisting, Carteret Community CollegeCertificateOn campus32 weeks$1,064estimated: $76/credit × 14

Blank cells: the school's pages don't give that figure.

Diploma - Medical Assisting: The Details

Length
3 semesters (fall, spring, summer)
Hours or credits
48 credit hours
Externship
MED-260 Clinical Practicum (5 credits) in summer
Certification
Eligible for the CMA (AAMA) certification exam
Start dates
Fall
Admission
High school diploma or GED; high school GPA above 2.8, or ENG 111/MAT 110 with C or better, or RISE placement scores
Tuition (school's wording)
$76 per credit hour in-state tuition (maximum $1,216 for 16 or more credits per semester); $268 per credit hour out-of-state; plus general fees2026-27. Source: carteret.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
Estimated cost
$3,648Estimated: $76/credit × 48, before fees.
Outcomes the school publishes
2020-2024: job placement 88.37%, retention 88.89%Reported for 2020-2024.

Certificate - Medical Assisting: The Details

Length
2 semesters (fall, spring)
Hours or credits
14 credit hours
Start dates
Fall
Tuition (school's wording)
$76 per credit hour in-state tuition (maximum $1,216 for 16 or more credits per semester); $268 per credit hour out-of-state; plus general fees2026-27. Source: carteret.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
Estimated cost
$1,064Estimated: $76/credit × 14, before fees.

From Carteret Community College's own program, admissions and tuition pages, reviewed October 12, 2026. Tuition changes each year; confirm fees with the school.

How Carteret Community College Compares

  • Diploma - Medical Assisting costs an estimated $3,648, against a median of $17,215 across 304 priced diploma programs on this site.
  • Diploma - Medical Assisting runs 48 weeks; the median for diploma programs is 40 weeks.
  • Certificate - Medical Assisting costs an estimated $1,064, against a median of $8,930 across 426 priced certificate programs on this site.
  • Certificate - Medical Assisting runs 32 weeks; the median for certificate programs is 39 weeks.

Medical assistants in North Carolina earn a median of $45,140 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), against $45,690 nationally.

Work out what Carteret Community College's certificate costs you after aid

Is Carteret Community College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?

Yes. Diploma - Medical Assisting and Certificate - Medical Assisting are listed by CAAHEP (directory captured October 12, 2026). Accredited by CAAHEP on the recommendation of MAERB (CAAHEP directory, October 12, 2026), so graduates meet the standard education route for the CMA (AAMA) exam.

What CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation means for the CMA (AAMA)

Medical Assisting Awards at Carteret Community College

Award levelAwards, 2022-23
Certificates of one to two years6
Associate degrees3
Certificates under one year10

Federal completions data (IPEDS, CIP 51.0801) count 19 medical assisting awards conferred by Carteret Community College in 2022-23, 549th of 951 schools on this site. These are credentials awarded, not graduates or job outcomes, and chains report each campus separately.

More Medical Assistant Schools in North Carolina

Carteret Community College Medical Assisting: Common Questions

Is Carteret Community College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?

Yes. Diploma - Medical Assisting and Certificate - Medical Assisting are listed by CAAHEP (directory captured October 12, 2026). Accredited by CAAHEP on the recommendation of MAERB (CAAHEP directory, October 12, 2026), so graduates meet the standard education route for the CMA (AAMA) exam.

How Much Does Carteret Community College's Medical Assistant Program Cost?

Diploma - Medical Assisting: $76 per credit hour in-state tuition (maximum $1,216 for 16 or more credits per semester); $268 per credit hour out-of-state; plus general fees (2026-27), about $3,648 for the program (estimated). Certificate - Medical Assisting: $76 per credit hour in-state tuition (maximum $1,216 for 16 or more credits per semester); $268 per credit hour out-of-state; plus general fees (2026-27), about $1,064 for the program (estimated).

How Long Is Carteret Community College's Medical Assistant Program?

Diploma - Medical Assisting: 3 semesters (fall, spring, summer) (48 credit hours). Certificate - Medical Assisting: 2 semesters (fall, spring) (14 credit hours).

Does Carteret Community College Include an Externship?

Yes. Diploma - Medical Assisting: MED-260 Clinical Practicum (5 credits) in summer.

Which Certification Exams Does Carteret Community College Prepare You For?

Diploma - Medical Assisting names the CMA (AAMA).

What Do You Need to Apply to Carteret Community College?

Diploma - Medical Assisting: High school diploma or GED; high school GPA above 2.8, or ENG 111/MAT 110 with C or better, or RISE placement scores.

Compare With Programs Like These

Sources

  1. carteret.edu: Diploma - Medical Assisting program page, reviewed October 12, 2026
  2. CAAHEP, accredited medical assisting programs, captured October 12, 2026
  3. U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS completions 2022-23, CIP 51.0801 (medical/clinical assistant)
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Medical Assistants, North Carolina

Every program on this site was checked on the school's own website in October 2026. Accreditation comes only from the CAAHEP and ABHES directories (captured October 12, 2026), never from a school's own wording, and school size from U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS) completions. Sponsored listings are labeled as ads and never change which programs we list or how we rank them. How we verify programs